Lamp holder



A|J|g.1v2,'1941. l *EUBYANT Em 12,252,340 f LAMP HOLDER v xiled` sept. 1a, 1940 Thei PAtorhely.

:Patented Aug. 12, 1941 f UNITED STATES APATlazlxlT oFFIcE Young,Fairfeld, Conn., assignors to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application September 18, 1940, Serial No. 357,262

' 11 Claims. (Cl. 173-356):

Our invention relates to lampholders for tubular .electric lamps, such as'uorescent-lamps of the well-known commercial type `now in use.

An object of our invention is to provide a new which is so constructed that the lamp may be locked in position within the holder against unauthorized removal.)l

- In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 shows a holders constructed in accordance with this invention; Fig. `2 is a view of the lampholder with the lamp pinsmounted in position, a portionof the body of the lampholderbeing broken away;

ing l5. The structure thus far described vis .the

same as that disclosed in the aforementioned Marshaus patent and is one which is well adapted for the purposes intended in thatit vprovides and improved l-ampholder of thertype described 5 Fig, 3 is another view of the lampholder; Fig.- 4 15 is still another view --of the lampholder showing the means for releasing the lampholder fromv locking engagement with the lamp prongs; Fig. 5

is asectional view through the lampholder taken i along the line 5-5of Fig. 4; Fig. (i is a perspec- 20 tive view oi' a key for unlocking the lampholder,

and Fig. 7 is a view of another form of key for unlocking the lampholder.

Referring to thedrawing, we have shown a edges which are disposed ons, opposite" sides of 1empho1der Io of the 'type disclosed in the 25 Marshaus Reissue Patent No. 21,545, assigned to the same assignee as the instant application, and which is adapted to support each end of a uorescent lamp II, in the manner shown by Fig. 1. sulating material VI2 provided with a recess I3 for receiving spaced contact members Il. The

contact members I4 are framed within an opening I5 in the housing merging with the recess I3; the opening is of generally circular formation and merges with 'a slot I6 extending to the upper edge of the housing. A stud I'I is -up`.

standing from the bottom of the recess I3 and is provided with a diametrical slot 'I8 in align- 40 ment with the aforementioned slot I6. The contact members I4 cooperate with the center stud` .II in gripping the spacedconnector prongs C I of the fluorescent` 1am to'hold the lamp in iposition on the lamphol er..

without danger of the iampbecoming jarred y loose from the holder.

Inisome cases, however, itis desirable to pref tubular lamp supported at each end by lamp- 10 vent unauthorized removal of the lamp. To this With mean-s for readily reeasingthe locking means so that the llamp may be removed from the lampholder, For this purpose each contact member Il is provided with an indented portion I9 which is adapted to receive the connector prong voi' the lamp and which holds itisecurelyein position against the outer periphery of the stud planes of the indentations I9 to form projecting the lamp connector prongs and which normally engage the outer periphery of the studi 1. After- `the lamp is rotated to move the connector prongs into seated position on the lampholder, they remain within the yindentations I 9 formed in the I contact members between the opposedlugs 2D.

The lampholder includes a. base of in- 30 Seatingof the connector prongs is readily atf tained due to the fact that as they are rotated within the opening I5 they move the iiexible contact members I4 youtwardly and then snap into position within the indentations I8 over the lugs 2Il. However, once the prongs are seated in the indentations rotation oi them to remove the lamp-is prevented due to the fact that theyA engage the abutment surfaces 20. "I'his means that the contact members I4 cannot be sprung outwardly to release the connector prongs.

vIn order to release the connector prongs from engagement with the contact members, a keyis I provided which maybe inserted into the lamp- In mounting the lamp v-the connectorprongs 45 are moved in a line Itransversely to the axis of the lamp through the aligned slots I6 and Il until the lower p in'contacts the edge of theopen# ing I5. Thereafter `the lamp is rotated to move holder to temporarily move the contact blades out of engagement with the connector prongs,

-so that the vlatter'may be rotated within the lampholder lto remove the lamp from the holder.

the contact pins into engagement withthe con- 50 tact members I 4 tothe position shown by Fig. 2. Theconnector prongs are guided into engagelment with'the .contact members by the outerv periphery of the stud I1 which may have curved surfaces corresponding to the wall of the open- Such a key is shown in` Fig. 5 of the drawing.

The key 25 is provided with a tongue 26 which is adapted-'to extend `through the aligned ,slots IB andv I8 to position the key on thelampholder. Pivotally mounted von opposite sides of the key are operating levers 21 which Aare adapted to extend into the recess into engagement with the respective contact'blades I4. @At their upper contact blades I v4 are provided with outwardly bowed portions 28 forming bearing surfaces for engaging the levers 21.

It will be apparent from Figs. 2 and 3 that after the key is properly positioned on the lampholder it may be moved downwardly with the tongue 26 passing through the slots I6 and I8 so that theievers 21 engage the bearing portions 28 on the. contact blades. Further -movement of :the lkey member forces Ithe operating tion the contact members are forced outwardly to an extent suiilcient to move the locking projecting `surfaces out of the planes of the connector prongs of the lamp, so that the latter may be'slightl'y rotated to move them out of the re-V cesseslS. After the key is removed from the lampholder'rotation of the connector prongs may be continued to move them to a position where they may by removed by lateral movement through the aligned slotsiB and I8.

A modified` form of key structure is shown byy levers 21 downwardly past the bearing surfaces 28 to the position shown by Fig. 3. In this posif lamp prongs as the latter. are moved laterally through the slot and rotated into engagement Fig. rI. In this form the operating levers 21 are omitted and are replaced by cam surfaces 30, which engage the bearing surfaces 28 on the up.. per endof the contact blades and force these blades outwardly asthe key is moved downwardly into the lampholder.- In the form of theinvention illustrated'in Fig. '7 the-recess i3 in the housing must be made sufficiently wide at the upper end to receive the cam 30.

While our invention has been illustrated and .described as-applied to a lampholder, such asv shown by the aforementioned Marshaus patent, in which a slotted stud is positioned within the recess to guide the lamp prongs, it should be manpins whereby thelamp may be withdrawn from the lanipholder.

2. In a socket for use with a lamp vhaving spaced contact pins, a base -of insulating-material having an opening therein and a slot ext-ending from said opening to an edge of the base, spaced contact members in said opening, the lamp being mounted onsaid lampholder by moving the lamp pins laterallyI through the vopening and rotating them into engagement .with the contact members, means on said contact members for releasably locking the contact pins in seated position, and' means cooperating withthe contact members for releasing them from locked engagement with the lamp contact prongs.

3. `A lamp socket -for use with a lamp having vspaced contact pins comprising, incombination, a;

base of insulating material having an opening therein and a slot extending from the opening to an edge o! the base,I spaced contact members within .said opening and adapted to receive the with the contact'members, said contact members being provided with means for-locking the lamp tact members within' said'opening on opposite ifest that four invention is adapted foruse equally as well in constructions in which the slot I8 is omitted or the stud Il entirely omitted. In such cases the guiding tongue 26 would be unnecessary. The operating levers or cam surfaces would still engage the contact blades in themanner described.

Our invention is particularly useful in those cases where it is desired to lock the fluorescent lamp in position against the possibility of its being surreptitiously removed from the lampholder. This is accomplished simply by a slight change in thestructure of the holder and the provision sides of said guiding member, for receiving the lampl prongs as the latter are moved laterally through the slot and rotated within the opening into engagement with the contact blades, said contact blades being providedV with projecting portions for locking the lamp prongs in lseated position on the lampholder, and means cooprating with the contact blades to movethem out of locking engagement with the lamp prongs.

5. A lampholder for use with a lamp having spaced contact prongs comprising, in combinatidn, a base of insulating material' Vhaving an opening in aface thereof and a slotl extending of a key for releasing thelocklng means.' If desired, a locking lampholder may be placed at each end of the lamp, In most instances, however, a lockinglam'pholder at one end of the lamp' `will be suiiicient, the other 'end being supported by alampholder of .the type described in the Marshaus patent. This arrangement has the advantage that only a single key need be used and one hand is left free, to rotate the lamp,

What we claim v'as new and desire to secure @titers Patent of the-United States is:

" Fllt `."I`n combination, a base of insulating material having a recess in a face. thereomerging with a s lot extending to an edge' of thel base,

i -1 spaced contact members in said recess and adapted to engage the spaced prongs of an electric lamp as the prongs are moved laterally through the slot and rotated within therecess into engagement with the contact members, said contact members being provided withmeans locking the pins in fixed position after they have been rotated into engagement with the Contact members, and means insertable into said recess and cooperating with the spaced contactvmembers to release them from engagement with thelamp from the opening to an edge ofthe' base, spaced contacty members in said opening, eachicontact member being provided with a recess and an ad- ,jacent projecting portion, the lamp prongs being adapted to be moved laterally through the slot and rotated into engagement with the contactv blades to seated position within the recesses, the projecting portions on the vcontact blades maintaining the prongs in seatedposition within the recesses .and means for moving the proicting portions out of locking relationship with the 4.lamp prongs so that the latter may be rotatedvout of engagement with the contact blades. v

6. Alamp socket for use with a lamp having spaced contact prongs comprising, in combination, a base'lof insulating material having an opening in one face thereof and a slot extending Vfrom the opening to an edge of the base, guide means within said opening provided with'a groove in alignment with said slot, spaced flexible contact blades disposed in said opening on opposite sides o said guide member, the lamp prongs being seated l in said. y lampholder by lateral move-- ment 'through said aligned slot and groove for rotation within the opening into engagement with 'the contact blades, each contact blade being proi from the lampholder.

escaneoy a slot extending from the opening to an edgey vided with a recess for receiving the lamp prongs in seated position, and a projecting pourtion ,for

locking the lamp prongs within the recses, and means insertable into the-lampholder for engaging the contact blades to ex them outwardly whereby the projecting portions are removed from locking relationship with the lamp prongs `to permit rotation of the prongs out of seated position in the lampholder.

7. Alocking lamp `socket for use. with a key and a lamp having -spaced contact prongs com-` prising, in combination. a base of insulating ma-v terial having anopening in a face thereof and a slot extending from the opening to an yedge of the base, spaced contact members mounted in oi the base, spaced contact members mounted v in said opening. each contact member being prosaid opening, each contact member being provided with a recessed portion and a projecting portion adjacent the recess whereby the lamp prongs may'be moved laterally throughthe slot and rotated within the opening into engagement with the contact blades, rotation of the contact prongs flexing ille contact blades outwardly to permit the prongs to be seated within said recesses and locked therein by cooperation with said projecting portions, and means for flexing said contact blades outwardly for removing said projections from locking relationship-with the lamp prongs whereby the latter may bel rotated out of engagement with the'contact blades to remove the lamp 8. In a socket for use with a lamp having spaced an opening therein and a slot extending from said vopening to an edgeoi the base. spaced contact members in said opening, thelamp being mounted on the socket by moving -the lamp contact pins laterally through the opening and rotating them in either direction into engagement with the contact members. and means for positively locking `contact pins, a base of insulating material having vided with a recessed portion and a projecting portion adjacent the recess whereby the lamp prongs may bey-moved laterally through the slot and rotated within the opening into engagement with the contact blades, rotation of the contact prongs exing the contact blades outwardly to permit the prongs to be seated within said recesses/and locked therein. by cooperation with said. projecting portion, said contact blades being adapted to be moved outwardly by cooperationLH with the key to release the lamp contact prongs.

10. A locking socket for use with a key and a lamp having spaced contact prongs comprising, in combination, a base of .insulating material having an `opening therein and a slot extending Vfrom said opening to an edge of said base, spaced contact members in said opening, the lamp being mounted on said la older by moving the lamp pins laterally through he opening yand rotating them into engagement with the contact members,

and means on said contact members for positivelyA locking the contact pins in seated position, the contact members being adapted for cooperation with the key to release the lamp contact prongs from locking position.

l1. ln a locking socket for use with a key and a lamp having spaced contact 151118. a base of l them, said contact blades being exed upon co-` operation with thegkey for releasing vthe lamp pinsirom locking engagement with the contact members. FRANK D. BRYANT.

`WILLIAM R. YOUNG. 

